Red x Cynthia
by Light Kage
Summary: Trapped as the Champion of Sinnoh, Cynthia is dying to break free and explore the world once more. Finally she's able to when Trainer Red offers her the chance to travel with him to the Kalos region. Can you feel the love tonight! Yeah I intend for this to be longer than just a single chapter, I just kinda need some time :P


Chapter 1- Challenger Red

It was the same thing over and over for the young and beautiful Champion Cynthia. Ever since the events at Spear Pillar, the once modicum of challengers skyrocketed to one daily on average. No longer could she venture out of the Pokémon League more or less Sinnoh to quench her thirst for myths and legends. Although the old textbooks of Sinnoh mythology gave her a rush of nostalgia, she could also taste the bitter sweetness of repetition. She made a mental note to ask Lucian for a recommendation tomorrow. Right now, there was work to be done.

Occasionally, Cynthia would be challenged yet again by the same persistent boy, a trainer named Barry. While he is indeed strong, he could never give Cynthia the same rush of adrenaline Lucas had done. Even then, Lucas had failed to succeed her title. Surely Barry has returned today.

Cynthia lethargically closed her book on the Hall of Origin and set it aside. She considerately selected her team of six and put on her best smile. And the door to the entrance opened and closed behind a trainer she had never seen. Even his attire was different.

Instead of the reddish-orange cap that started trending in Sinnoh, the challenger was wearing a red and white hat that covered his black hair. He wore a red and white jacket, and by not buttoning it up, it revealed the black undershirt he wore. A pair of fingerless, black gloves wrapped around a Pokeball that the trainer occasionally tossed up and down gently. Strangely enough, a Pikachu out of its ball was riding on its trainer's left shoulder. The boy kept the bill of his hat low, so that they were covering his eyes.

"Congratulations for making it this far," Cynthia said. "You must be very skilled."

"…"

_Strange, is he mute?_ Cynthia wondered. "But now you face the champion, are you ready?"

The trainer lifted his hat slightly, revealing his face at last. He was quite remarkably handsome and looked as if he could be nineteen, or perhaps even twenty. But what were most outstanding were his eyes. They were crimson red and when Cynthia stared deep into them, she could feel the fiery passion she had been so desperately longing for.

Cynthia grinned in excitement. "Well then, red Challenger, are you ready?" She grasped her first Pokeball and the Challenger did the same. Cynthia tossed her first Pokémon out, calling her Garchomp. The Challenger, with all his might, threw Blastoise out of its ball. The four screens surrounding the two trainers showed Garchomp's and Blastoise's name and HP status.

_Blastoise huh, I haven't seen one of those in years. He's old school_, Cynthia thought. "Garchomp use Earthquake!" Garchomp lifted her foot high up, and stomped on the ground. The earth shook, and Blastoise took some damage but was still well within the green zone. _Not my best call,_ Cynthia thought retrospectively.

"Hail," the Challenger said and his Blastoise did as commanded.

"What is he…? Damn it!" Cynthia quickly realized. "Garchomp use…"

"Blizzard," the Challenger whispered. Blastoise summoned a blizzard and directly hit the foe Garchomp. No one bothered to watch Garchomp's health bar as it sank from green to yellow to red and finally to zero.

Cynthia saw the Challenger's smiling face and she couldn't help but do the same. _To be able take my prized Garchomp out as if it were nothing. He's really good. But I can do better. _Cynthia recalled Garchomp, and sent out, "Togekiss!"_ Its still hailing, I need to get rid of that Blastoise fast._

"Togekiss use Shock Wave!" Blastoise took the electric attack the best he could. His HP dropped into the red zone. Togekiss and Blastoise took damage from the Hail.

_Blastoise can't take another hit. The next move will decide its usability. It will be a gamble, but I'm sure I can hit it before he hits me, _Cynthia calculated.

"Blastoise return," the Challenger said.

_He's bringing Blastoise back?!_

"You did well. Lapras," the Challenger threw his next Pokémon. Lapras appeared from it ball and gave a cry. The Challenger pointed a finger towards Togekiss. "Ice Beam."

"Togekiss use Shock Wave!" Cynthia shouted. The two attacks met their target, knocking each other out. The two trainers called their Pokémon back.

"Venasaur," The Challenger threw his Pokeball in an arch. The Pokémon growled at Cynthia, as if directly challenging her.

_Grass type. Interesting, I wonder if he… never mind, what do I have that's good against Venasaur?_ Cynthia selected her third Pokémon. "Spiritomb!" she slung her arm back and threw Spiritomb out. _This is actually getting fun!_ Cynthia began to feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through her body.

"Spiritomb use Silver Wind!" Spiritomb used the attack, but Venasaur managed to hold its own. Cynthia checked the HP bar; Venasaur barely lost any damage.

"Get ready," the Challenger said to Venasaur. The Grass/Poison type Pokémon seemingly nodded, and prepared an attack.

_That's right; Venasaur is a dual Grass/Poison type. Then Spiritomb… _"Use Psychic!" It was super effective and Venasaur was on its last legs.

"Solar Beam." Spiritomb was engulfed in the light and was reduced to half HP. The two Pokémon were buffeted by Hail and Venasaur fainted. The Hail finally ended and the Challenger drew his Pokémon back. "Espeon," he chose.

_Espeon?_ Cynthia wondered. _But that's a Psychic type. I thought he was better than this. Perhaps this is a stalling tactic._

"Dazzling Gleam." Espeon prepared its attack.

_Dazzling Gleam is a… Fairy type move. Fairy types are super effective against…_ "Damn," she barely realized when Espeon KOed Spiritomb. _Crap, am I getting old for this? Ridiculous, I'm not going to lose to an antisocial kid!_ "Lucario!" Lucario roared out of its Pokeball.

"Mega Evolve!" Lucario began to shine and was momentarily enveloped in a strange ball. As the ball began to split apart, Lucario emerged from it and was transformed. Cynthia gasped in amazement. This was the first time she had ever used Mega Evolution and silently thanked Professor Sycamore.

"Extreme Speed," she told Lucario, Lucario seemingly vanished and reappeared; hitting Espeon several times, whose HP fell nearly to the yellow.

"Espeon use Zen Headbutt."

"Lucario dodge it!" Lucario sidestepped out of the way with grace and the next moment, "Extreme Shadow Ball!" Lucario disappeared out of sight once more, but instead of attacking physically, Lucario threw several Shadow Balls at Espeon. Espeon's health quickly plummeted to the red.

"Finish it," Cynthia commanded. Lucario held its palms together, and with a concentrated shot, fired Aura Sphere at Espeon, a fatal blow. The Challenger returned Espeon to its ball, and threw out Charizard.

"Mega Evolve." With the Charizardite, Charizard evolved into X-Charizard, and let out a monstrous roar.

"Mega versus Mega, this shall be interesting," Cynthia grinned. _Even if Charizard wins this one, I still have my… no; I can win this with Lucario._

"Blast Burn."

"Extreme Speed" Lucario continuously danced around the slow moving Charizard that failed to hit its target. Lucario however began to chip away at Charizard's HP slowly. Soon, Charizard was in the yellow zone.

"Lucario, Stone Edge!"

"Air Slash!" the Challenger finally shouted. The Lucario landed a decisive blow on Charizard, but Lucario was hit as well. Cynthia and the Challenger watched their respective Pokémon's HP decrease. Charizard was out. Lucario was still in the yellow but just barely.

Cynthia grinned. _Lucario is doing an excellent job; it ended the Challenger's momentum_. Charizard was returned to its ball. The Challenger lowered his bill for a moment, but then the Pikachu began to kiss his trainer's face. The Challenger smiled like a young boy and held his arm firmly so that Pikachu could climb off his shoulder.

_His last Pokémon, I need to stop Pikachu here… or else,_ Cynthia realized. "Extreme…"

"Go," the Challenger said simply and with that, Pikachu knew what to do. Before Lucario was given the full command, Pikachu used Quick Attack and hit Lucario.

"He's fast, but Lucario's faster. Extreme Speed!" Cynthia finished. The two Pokémon exchanged blows with Cynthia's being slightly faster. For every time Lucario was hit, Pikachu was hit twice. Still, Lucario had all ready been in the yellow.

"Thunderbolt," the Challenger said. Pikachu quickly shifted gears and threw some electricity toward Lucario's way.

"Aura…" Cynthia began but Lucario lost its Mega Evolution from fatigue. The thunderbolt was a direct hit and Cynthia returned the fainted Lucario back to its ball. She looked at the screen; Pikachu was all ready only a little over half HP.

_Can Milotic finish the job? We'll both be down to our final Pokémon._

"Milotic!" Cynthia threw the Pokeball with all her hope vested into it. This was it. Pikachu at nearly half HP, advantage over full HP Milotic.

"Thunderb…" the Challenger attempted to say.

"Surf!" Cynthia shouted first. Never before had she been so happy at the conciseness of the word. Pikachu was swamped away by the rapid waters and began to choke the water out of its lungs when the waters subsided.

_Still in the yellow!_ "Again!"

"Thunder!" the Challenger cried out. Pikachu cried its own name as it threw the attack at Milotic. It was a hit as Cynthia had been momentarily concentrating on hitting Pikachu. Milotic took a bad hit and went into the red zone.

"Aqua Ring!" Cynthia shouted. Milotic healed itself and prepared for Pikachu's follow up.

"Quick Attack!" the Challenger commanded and Pikachu launched itself. Pikachu hit Milotic but barely did any damage.

"Aqua Ring." Milotic was back at full health.

The Challenger took his hat off briefly and ran a hair through his black hair in frustration. He gave a sigh, placed his hat back where it belonged and his eyes looked even more ferocious.

"Pikachu," he said gently.

"Pika?" the Pokémon looked back at its trainer.

"Use 'that' attack. Got it?"

"Pi- ka?" Pikachu cocked his head slightly, but then he understood and smiled. "Pika- chu!" Pikachu looked back at Milotic, and began to charge its attack.

Pikachu used Volt Tackle, and directly hit Milotic. Cynthia and the Challenger both looked at the HP bars of their Pokémon. Pikachu had fainted from recoil but Milotic's was still going down… and down… zero.

Cynthia was at a loss for words. Had this ever happened before? What did it mean when both the Challenger and Champion were out of usable Pokémon: a rematch perhaps? But what would be the procedures?

"It wasn't a tie," the Challenger finally spoke to Cynthia. The Challenger picked Pikachu up who instantly squealed its own name at its trainer's touch. Pikachu smiled alongside the Challenger.

"What are you talking about? We both wiped out," Cynthia claimed.

"You did, but I didn't." The Challenger took out his first Pokeball, and tossed it back out to the field. Blastoise was still capable of fighting, proved by the HP bar. Upon closer inspection revealed that Blastoise had remained conscious at 1 HP left. The Challenger had defeated the reigning Champion.

Cynthia fell to her knees in disbelief. "I lost by one HP? This must be some kind of sick joke."

The red trainer walked up to Cynthia and took off his hat, crouching down besides her. "My name is Red from Pallet Town, Kanto. I came here because Professor Oak told me you were strong. He was right. I should have brought Mewtwo along with me."

"Well, it looks like you're the new Champion of Sinnoh," Cynthia trembled.

"If I had become a Champion because I beat the previous Champion, I'd be the Champion of Kanto/Johto, Hoeen, and Unova. I'm only here to have a good battle."

"You beat Lance? Steven? Iris?" Cynthia was amazed.

"And Green, and Wallace," Red grinned, thinking back.

"Why didn't you become Champion?"

"Because, I'm still nineteen and have a life ahead of me. I can become Champion whenever but for now, I'm going to live my life. Holding a title like Champion and being tethered to a cage isn't my style."

Here this young man was, claiming that he was here for his adventure as if it never ended despite defeating four regions of Champions. He was living the life Cynthia had wanted.

"You're still young and beautiful," Red admitted. "How old are you?"

"T—twenty four," Cynthia turned red.

"Come with me. I'm going to the Kalos region and going to challenge the League there," Red said. "I haven't had a good rival in years."

Cynthia smiled. It sounded like a great and rewarding offer. Travelling once again a foreign region as if she were a young trainer. That mixed with a handsome young man who was infinitely stronger bonded with his Pokémon than she. She wanted to go. No, she needed to have this experience. But…

"I can't."

"…"

"If you're rejecting my title, that means I'm still Champion. I can't just abandon my post," Cynthia explained.

"Champion Cynthia, a new Challenger is approaching," Cynthia and Red heard over the intercom.

Barry entered the room, looking confident, puffing his chest out. This time, he would show the blonde beauty just how strong he is and impress her. "I want a rematch Cynthia…" Barry noticed Red and how close Red and Cynthia were. "What's going on?"

"Congratulations," Red stood up and put his hat back on. "You're the new Sinnoh Champion," Red said to Barry.

"What?" Barry and Cynthia asked in unison.

Red held a hand out to Cynthia. "Isn't that right, partner?" he asked.

Cynthia considered this, grinned and took Red's hand. He pulled her back to her feet. Cynthia walked over towards Barry.

"Oh, what horrible irony!" Cynthia feigned drama. "That I would be defeated by the repeating Challenger Barry! You are now the new Champion!" Cynthia put a finger to her lips. "Don't tell anybody." Red returned Blastoise to its Pokeball, and carried Pikachu in his arms. Cynthia followed behind him and couldn't stop smiling. She felt like a young girl all over again. This feeling of adrenaline hadn't subsided. She stared at Red longingly.

"One day…"


End file.
